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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

vegetarian festival in thailand

The local Chinese community in Thailand belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. They celebrate the vegetarian festival by piercing their own meat and setting of fire crackers. Warning: Most images depict self-mutulation.

Devotees of the Bang Neow Chinese Shrine walk through exploding firecrackers as they take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants,during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of the Bang Neow Chinese Shrine stand amidst exploding firecrackers as they take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee cuts his tongue with a sword (C) as he walks through firecrackers while taking part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of the Bang Neow Chinese Shrine walk through exploding firecrackers as they take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants,during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee goes into a trance as he takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee has his arms pierced with needles as he prepares to take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in

Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them

obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee with a cheek pierced with a handgun, takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee has his cheeks pierced as he prepares to take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee with his cheeks pierced with umbrellas, takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee has his cheeks pierced with swords as he prepares to take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee with a cheek pierced with a handgun, takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee with pierced cheeks takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee bleeds after self-mutilating his mouth during a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee has his lips pierced as he prepares to take part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee cuts his tongue with a sword as he takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli TEMPLATE OUT

A devotee with pierced lips takes part in a procession in celebration of the vegetarian festival in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee walks on burning charcoals as he performs the fire walking ceremony, during celebrations for the vegetarian festival at Sapan Him shrine in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them attain good health and a peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee runs on burning charcoals as he performs the fire walking ceremony, during celebrations for the vegetarian festival at Sapan Him shrine in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them attain good health and a peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee runs on burning charcoals as he performs the fire walking ceremony, during celebrations for the vegetarian festival at Sapan Him shrine in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them attain good health and a peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A group of female devotees attend the fire walking ceremony during celebrations for the vegetarian festival at Sapan Him shrine in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them attain good health and a peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee performs a ritual before the fire walking ceremony, during celebrations for the vegetarian festival at Sapan Him shrine in Phuket October 2, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants, during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, will help them attain good health and a peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with plastic tubes running through his pierced cheek, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with a knife through her pierced cheek, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with spears running through her pierced cheeks takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of Jui Tui shrine carry idols amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with a knife through his pierced cheeks, holds exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine brushes himself with burning joss sticks as he dances during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with a spear running through his pierced cheeks, drinks from a baby bottle during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine waves a flag as she dances amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine waves a flag as she dances amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with a knife through his pierced cheek, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with spears through his pierced cheeks, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with a spear through her pierced cheeks, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine pierces herself with skewers before a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of Jui Tui shrine, with knives and spears through their pierced cheeks, take part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A devotee of Jui Tui shrine, with an umbrella through her pierced cheek, takes part in a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Devotees demonstrate their faith and devotion to the gods by piercing themselves during the festival. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of Jui Tui shrine carry idols amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

Devotees of Jui Tui shrine carry idols amidst exploding firecrackers during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket October 3, 2011. The festival celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli